Reports and observations about life as an ex-pat family in Playa del Carmen Mexico from Michele and Rob Kinnon. Real Estate Playa del Carmen market updates and new listings of interest. Advise for other like minded adventurers planning to relocate to Playa del Carmen. Will include commentary and information on local schools, markets, recycling, environmental issues, volunteer opportunities, restaurant reviews and special events.

You've Got Mail!

I received a letter! That's right. An actual legitimate piece of personal correspondence from outside of Mexico. This may not seem like such a big deal until you consider that this is only the third international postal item that has been delivered to me in the four years that we have been living in Playa del Carmen. As I am sure you can imagine, this is a dramatic change from the volume of mail we used to receive on a daily basis back in New York. The holiday season would bring us the heaviest bundles, wrapped in thick rubber bands or twine. Often, I would open our front door to find a plastic mail crate full of Christmas Cards, holiday sale fliers, magazines and, of course, bills. I must have had half a dozen or so magazine subscriptions to look forward to on a monthly basis. In addition, L.L. Bean, Restoration Hardware, Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn, among many others, made very certain that their beautiful glossy catalogues reached me, seemingly everyday!

While I had certainly done my homework before we made the move to Mexico, mail delivery was not a topic that seemed to need investigation. Preoccupied with getting our necessary visas and finding schools for our children, I simply took it for granted that a developed area of Mexico like Playa del Carmen would have some sort of postal service. Every home has a proper and detailed address and I've seen the Post Office on Juarez so reason would dictate that regular and reliable mail delivery could be expected. Au contraire. Our utility bills for electricity and water are delivered by hand by individuals on scooters contracted to do so by CFE and CAPA, respectively. The banks, cable and phone companies do the same. Internet banking is just coming into it's own here and most of us simply make the trip to the appropriate service offices or designated payment places and pay our bills....in person....in cash....every month. Many, many times the bill does not come, is delivered to the wrong place or mysteriously goes missing. This is no excuse and rather than risk immediate and indefinite interuption of your services, you must make the trip to the proper offices to make your payment.

I have never received a store flier or a magazine and in four years, I have received two Christmas cards (thank you Erin for your persistence), each delivered by my Playacar security guard. When we moved across the highway into the Campestre this year, I was certain that I would never see another piece of correspondence again. Then, yesterday, Connor found an envelope jammed in between our front gate and the wall surrounding our yard. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I opened it to find a beautiful birth announcement and holiday greeting from my dear old friend Lauren in Louisville, Kentucky! As we have no security guards in this neighborhood, I was shocked that anyone (anyone not anticipating a generous Christmas gift) bothered to come all the way out here to deliver it. Perhaps Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus.

While I have been politely telling all of our friends and relatives back home to not waste their time and money on a Christmas card for the Kinnons, I am now emphatically recanting my statements. If Lauren's beautiful card made it all the way out here then maybe more will follow! Lauren's envelope had simply our names, the correct address, two 42 cent stamps and the words "Air Mail" written clearly across the front. She mailed it on December 4th, it was post stamped in the DF on December 9th, made it to Quintana Roo on December 13th and into my hands on December 17th. Along the way, someone knew that this address was once that of a primary school. That person, thoughtfully, marked the envelope "kinder" to help expedite the delivery! This my friends is a miracle of the highest order as, in years past, I have received Erin's Christmas cards in April of the following year. This is excellent progress, indeed. So bring on the cards and letters! We will treasure every one!

I have read rumblings about MexPost becoming, well, efficient isn't exactly the word I'm looking for, but maybe able-to-do-their-job, but mainly from the SMA contingent. I think it is Billie who orders frequently from Amazon without complaint (books).

We got a catalog (Sonlight - homeschooling stuff) this summer. It was actually delivered to a neighbor, but I was astounded it arrived at all (unasked).

I think I'm going to try it too. When you have no expectations, you can only be pleasantly surprised! :)

haha that's hilarious..I still haven't received Xmas cards from last year..I tell people its better if they send me an e-vite or try to have things delivered to my wife's fam in Cancun..we had a pretty poor success rate when we lived in Cancun even, which frustrated Mar, being a serious e-bay addict! :p

When I was living in Playa my gas got cut off once. When I went by to ask why this happened they let me know I did not pay my bill. I explained that I did not get a bill. They told me (with a straight face) that my bill had been placed under a rock down the street from my Condo.

I never have problem with things from Amazon. I usually get birthday and Christmas cards fine and within 2 weeks of their mailing. The post office always writes on it "next to the bakery", which, by the way, was torn down 3 years ago! And yet, I can't get a local bank statement or electric bill delivered properly! Go figure!

Here in San Pedro Belize we get general delivery mail and used have to check the post office for it - they have a box for each letter of the alphabet and when you go for mail they check all the mail in the box of the first letter of your last name (now we have a mailbox with actual numbered address)

Mindy - Patience my friend. I am still skeptical but cautiously optimistic that this "service" will not only continue but actually improve! Fingers crossed.

Laurie - I could deal with that. I remember going to check our PO Box with my dad when I was a very small child. It's kind of quaint. Playa is long past quaint.

Wayne - I think we get about half of our bills delivered properly. I also love that although the school no longer occupied our home, their mail is still delivered to the house and I am expected to forward it on personally because they know my daughter goes to school there. I am an excellent public servant. I am going to have to try ordering from Amazon. I am almost afraid that it will work ;)

David - Miss you! When are you going to come see us? Your liver must be fine by now ;)